Hunter’s kick pulls it out, 11-10

Richard Dunn

While Costa Mesa High’s football team might be known for its

smashmouth offense, there was little grunt or brawn on senior Nate

Hunter’s game-winning 26-yard field goal Friday night with 11 seconds

left as Coach Dave Perkins’ Mustangs rallied to defeat host

Westminster, 11-10, in an edge-of-your-seat Golden West League game.

“It’s a huge win,” said Hunter, mobbed by his teammates after

booting a perfect kick through the uprights to give Costa Mesa its

first lead. “Now, we’re in the playoffs. One more (victory) and we

win league. Everything’s just coming together for us as a team.”

In a riveting finish, Costa Mesa (6-2, 4-0 in league) started its

winning drive from its own 17 with a two-point deficit and 7:14

remaining, after senior cornerback Luis Gonzalez intercepted a

Westminster pass.

The Mustangs, who wrapped up one of the league’s three guaranteed

playoff berths, worked the clock to perfection as they used 19 plays

-- 17 on the ground -- to march to the Westminster 10. Twice in the series, the Mustangs faced fourth-and-two and converted both times to

keep the drive going.

Costa Mesa senior fullback Keola Asuega, who carried 31 times for

204 yards and a touchdown, gave the Mustangs their biggest boost with

a 15-yard gain to cross midfield, giving the visitors a first down at

Westminster 40.

With 1:51 left, Mesa used its second-to-last timeout, before a

fourth-and-two play from the Lions 32, in which Asuega gained 4 yards

to spark his team again.

“I give Keola Asuega all the credit,” Perkins said. “On some of

those runs, it was just great will with him fighting for those first

downs. We had three or four fourth downs (and converted). The kids

played with the heart of champions.”

On third down at the Westminster 23, Costa Mesa called its final

timeout with 0:47 to play, then Asuega carried the Mustangs to the 17

for another first down. With the seconds ticking away, Asuega rushed

7 yards to the 10, then Costa Mesa quarterback Tim Iller spiked the

ball on second down to stop the clock with 0:11 left.

On third down, Hunter kicked his field goal, after Westminster

called timeout to ice him.

“Right when we got possession of the ball (after Gonzalez’s

interception), I knew it would come down to me kicking it,” Hunter

said. “During the (Westminster) timeout, I had my mind set ... I was

not really nervous. All I was thinking about was that we’re going to

win league.”

In Week 2, Hunter kicked a 37-yard field goal with 1:59 left to

give Costa Mesa a 27-24 nonleague road victory over Chaminade.

“That was pretty fun tonight. We had a good time,” Perkins said.

“It was a great high school football game. (The Lions) came after us

like they needed to win to go to the playoffs, and we came after them

the same way.”

The Mustangs, who will play Santa Ana for the league title next

week -- “We’re going to be ready,” Perkins said -- moved the ball

between the 20-yard lines, but couldn’t get it into the end zone

until the fourth quarter.

Westminster (4-4, 3-2) benefited in the first quarter on a Costa

Mesa roughing-the-passer penalty, which gave the Lions a first down

instead of forcing them to punt. The Lions eventually took the lead

with a 22-yard field goal by Jose Cruz.

Early in the second quarter, Westminster’s Alex DeGiacomo

intercepted a Costa Mesa pass and returned it 80 yards for a

touchdown, with Cruz added the PAT to give the hosts a 10-0 lead.

The Mustangs, however, got on the scoreboard on a safety with 1:06

left in the first half, when a Westminster punt snap sailed over

punter Mike DeGiacomo’s head. The punter was standing in the end

zone.

After missing several scoring opportunities, Mesa finally cashed

in, after beginning a drive from its own 41 with 3:11 to play in the third quarter. What followed was nine straight running plays -- the

biggest a 14-yard pickup by Asuega, who capped the series with a

5-yard touchdown run on the second play of the fourth quarter, as the

Mustangs pulled to within 10-8.

Mesa tried going for two to tie it, but came up short. On the

first two-point conversion attempt, Westminster was whistled for pass

interference after a Hunter pass out of the swinging gate. On the

second try, Asuega was stopped short from the 2-yard line.

Mesa got the ball back and, on fourth-and-seven, attempted a fake

punt. But Hunter was stopped short and Westminster took over with

8:03 left in the game. Two plays later, however, Gonzalez intercepted

and the Mustangs began their march.